Published on: Mar 27, 2017
Topics: Leadership, Systems Thinking, Agile, vision, Lean leadership, lean thinking
In today’s globally competitive business, change is considered as a vital step. It helps in stabilising the competitive edge and in responding faster to customer needs.
Many organisations, however, are failing at this critical business element as the change agents responsible for enacting the change are not providing enough personal motivation. Thus, managing change means getting the organisation to accept change, understand the elements and to execute it proficiently.
How Does Change Agents Help An Organization To Change
Every organisational change, whether large or small, requires one or more change agents. A change agent is a person which may or may not belong to an organisation but who helps the organisation in transforming itself in focusing on effectiveness, improvement and development. They are also categorised as External change agents and Internal change agents. Though external change agents and internal change agents have different roles, the main objective becomes perspective.
Change agents cannot succeed without persistence, as change, is a very complex and a labour-extensive process that involves feelings and emotions. They are often quoted as,
At the initial stages of change, change agents understand the need for change, areas where change can be more beneficial for the organisation and the consequences that will be affected by change. Working with internal and external change agents together develops mutual trust, smoothens the process of change and makes it move as an ongoing process.
Validating Change Using Lean Method
The Lean Change method is for change agents. It provides a scientific approach to promoting the adoption of lean practices at the team, department and the organisation level. Lean Method is the principled approach to new product development. Many companies have applied lean management techniques to their manufacturing and operations, with a mindset of improving the quality and increasing the efficiency.
How does lean help in change management? The following highlights how Lean Method applies to change management:-
Managing Change Through Kotter’s Change Lifecycle
Dr John Paul Kotter, a professor at the Harvard Business School established the change lifecycle well known as the Eight Steps Of Change. This eight-step change lifecycle has been used for over a decade to help guide large-scale managed change initiatives.
For his famous book, “The Heart Of Change”, John Kotter worked to look into the core problems people face when leading change. He concluded that the central issue was changing the behaviour of the people and that successful change occurs when speaking to people’s feelings. He also recommended that organisational change starts with building urgency and regulate quick wins using a coalition of eager change adapters.
Kotter's different phases of change process are as follows:-
References
https://daniellock.com/kotters-8-step-change-model/
http://www.bdrconsultants.com/agent_role.pdf
http://study.com/academy/lesson/change-agent-definition-role-quiz.html
http://www.businessmapping.com/blog/how-to-be-a-change-agent-in-your-organization/
http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-adkar-2013.htm
http://theleanstartup.com/principles
https://www.leanconstruction.org/media/library/id53/The_Lean_Project_Delivery_System_An_Update.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gotti
http://www.change-management-blog.com/2009/07/change-model-3-john-kotters-8-steps-of.html
http://www.leadershipthoughts.com/kotters-8-step-change-model/
http://www.educational-business-articles.com/8-step-process/
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